Abstract
Background
Renal NETs, comprised of carcinoid tumors and small cell carcinomas, are a rare group
of neoplasms. The rarity of these tumors pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.
Our purpose was to characterize the cases treated at a tertiary cancer center and
to evaluate patient outcomes with the available treatment modalities.
Patients and Methods
This was a retrospective study of patients with renal NETs seen at The University
of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center between January 1, 2001, and January 1, 2011.
Patient and tumor data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods.
Results
Three cases of carcinoid tumors and 6 cases of small cell carcinoma were identified.
The median age at diagnosis was 53 years for patients with carcinoid and 65 years
for patients with small cell carcinoma. The most common presenting symptoms were back
pain, flank pain, and hematuria. The morphological appearance of the tumor cells and
their immunohistochemical reactivity for neuroendocrine markers and cytokeratin helped
establish the diagnosis. Nephrectomy was the mainstay of treatment for carcinoid tumors,
yielding good long-term results, even in the presence of metastases. Surgery and chemotherapy
were used for small cell carcinoma of the kidney. The median overall survival for
patients with small cell carcinoma of the kidney was 17.3 months.
Conclusion
Renal carcinoid tumors are indolent and are associated with prolonged survival, and
small cell carcinomas of the kidney are aggressive tumors with relatively short overall
survival. Although palliative in nature, cytotoxic chemotherapy is the mainstay of
therapy and is best given before surgery.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 10, 2014
Accepted:
June 3,
2014
Received in revised form:
May 20,
2014
Received:
December 3,
2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
